Unusual Histories Podcast Por Danny Hurst arte de portada

Unusual Histories

Unusual Histories

De: Danny Hurst
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 "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story... We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you… Ciencias Sociales Mundial
Episodios
  • Teletubbies say "Hello..." : Beyond Standup with Dave Thompson

    Teletubbies say "Hello..." : Beyond Standup with Dave Thompson
    Jun 26 2025
    In this episode, Danny is joined by comedian, actor, author and comedy writer Dave Thompson. Dave has appeared in a number of TV shows, often with Harry Hill in various guises. He's also written for several shows, including Kelsey Grammer Presents The Sketch Show, and for a number of other comics, including Stuart Lee and Omid Djalili. He's appeared in Ben Elton's film Maybe Baby, and is a regular on the stand-up circuit, making headlines after being sacked from his role as the original Tinky Winky in the Teletubbies for being told that his interpretation of the role was "not acceptable." After spending several years working as a Drama Movement Therapist, Dave became a stand-up comic. He shares his interesting journey, including how raising his autistic daughter changed his outlook on life, as well as some funny stories about his celebrity life. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS Stand-up comedy used to be a good way of opening the door to acting. Now, it's far harder to make money as a stand-up. Some people have spent 5 years only doing unpaid gigs. Some even more. Increasingly, performing abroad is more lucrative. Wearing a furry costume on a children's TV set makes no difference to how funny Dave is as a stand-up comedian, yet it has opened lots of doors. Teletubbies fans everywhere want to be photographed with Dave, especially in Asia and India Heckling comics is a very Anglo-Saxon thing. Most comics are quite different in their day-to-day life. BEST MOMENTS “We´ll get to Tinky Winky in a minute.” “I'm an aristocrat stuck in a peasant's body.” "I was sh**t, for at least the first 10 years of my stand-up comedy career, but I only did 4 unpaid guest spots before I got my first paid set." “Lots of truth in it (Dave’s book), but nothing that would get me sued.” “I entertain drunk people who don't care about me as a substitute for love.” EPISODE RESOURCES http://www.davethompson.org.uk The Sex Life of a Comedian - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sex-Life-Comedian-Dave-Thompson/dp/1447695151/ Harry Hill´s Fruit Fancies - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD5MJt6hf8OcseMKXER2Jg6uhxOytRKdA HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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    52 m
  • Saving Lives Through Men's Mental Health Awareness and Comedy with John Ryan

    Saving Lives Through Men's Mental Health Awareness and Comedy with John Ryan
    Jun 18 2025
    For this episode Danny Hurst is joined by John Ryan who describes himself as a men´s health comedian, healthcare professional and podcaster who has won multiple awards, including the Scottish Mental Health and Arts Film Festival Best Short Documentary Award and the NHS Regional Health and Social Care Award for Mental Health and Well-being. He has performed extensively across the UK and abroad, hosts a radio show, and has had a research paper published in a psychiatric journal. He runs the website "Happy to Health" with his partner Natasha Donovan, and does extensive work in healthcare, including TED talks and presentations. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS A lot of people on the comedy circuit are quite vulnerable. Being a comic is challenging. Often, the pay is poor, so it is hard for comedians to make a steady living and be financially secure in older age. John grew up in a very ethnically mixed part of Hackney, which gave him a lifelong love of different cultures. As a kid, John noticed that a lot of the men in his Irish family died a lot younger than other men, which fuelled his interest in men´s mental health. Most men´s sexual health issues are connected to poor mental health. Society still encourages men to take risks and push themselves beyond healthy limits. Making it hard to live a balanced life. Creating a safe physical space helps men to open up and talk more. Banter can do more damage than you realise. Humour breaks down barriers and helps people to open up and talk. Talking protects your mental health. Aim for contentment in life. BEST MOMENTS “I always wanted to find a way to bridge the gap between comedy, communications and men's health.” “Rowdy. But, you know, rowdy, you can out shout them, out shock them, or just go quiet.” “I managed to talk my way out of it by putting on a silly accent and pretending I was an Orient fan.” “Health is the real leveller, whether you are black, white, Asian, Chinese.” “Life is about learning to let go of unnecessary items.” “We are trying to take haha to aha.” EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.instagram.com/comedyjohnryan https://happytohealthyou.com HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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    1 h y 9 m
  • The Hand Behind Some of the World´s Most Iconic Puppets – Ronnie Le Drew

    The Hand Behind Some of the World´s Most Iconic Puppets – Ronnie Le Drew
    Jun 11 2025
    For this episode, Danny is privileged to be joined by actor, puppeteer, co-founder of the London School of Puppetry and president of the British Puppet Guild - Ronnie Le Drew. Ronnie has worked in theatre, television and film for many decades. His movie credits include The Naked Runner with Frank Sinatra, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muppets Treasure Island, Labyrinth and the live-action Beauty and the Beast. To people in the know however, he is most famous for Zippy from Rainbow, which is indisputably the greatest TV show in history and Danny'll fight anyone who disagrees with that. If you want to gain an insight into why puppets engage adults as well as kids on a level that no other form of entertainment does and how this ancient performance art continues to evolve to appeal to new audiences, listen in. Some of the places Ronnie performs are sure to surprise you. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ronnie learned basic puppet skills playing with toy puppets. Ronnie was small and couldn´t sing or dance but wanted to work in theatre, so he decided to fulfill his dream through puppetry. When Ronnie performs with Muffin The Mule, he borrows his granddaughter´s puppet. In some countries you can study puppetry at degree level. Punch and Judy performances continue and are evolving. TV fed Ronnie´s career rather than ruined it. Ronnie was Tom Hanks's body double...not in the way you think. Ronnie is now very popular at Comic Con. Throughout the decades Rainbow has remained popular and as a result Ronnie has appeared with Zippy in some very unexpected ways e.g. Late-night university parties, which attracted large crowds of students. The rude episode of Rainbow was filmed in about 3 minutes. BEST MOMENTS "All 5 of the audience had crept out. They were bored out of their minds, but I was having a ball." "I got a phone call from Henson saying we would like to use me on Labyrinth." "I was Tom Hanks's body double." “We used to lark around – Bungle, Zippy, and George - in bed...very naughty." EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.facebook.com/ronnie.ledrew Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zippy-Me-Inside-Britains-Infamous/dp/178352698X HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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    1 h y 53 m
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